You may recognize the name Townsend Whelen from his namesake cartridge, the thunderous .35 Whelen. Or perhaps you’ve come across one of his many articles or books on hunting and shooting. Maybe you’ve never heard of him at all, but he’s someone worth learning about. Born in 1877, Colonel Whelen was an outdoorsman, hunter, longtime
“Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.”—Aldo Leopold There’s no question that for hunters and anglers in the world today, conservation is the most important issue we face. Our ever-expanding population and the near-constant leaps and bounds taken by technology are placing demands on our natural resources that are literally earth shattering.
The concept of shaping your destiny has almost become cliché in our society. We’ve been led to believe, through the dedicated practice of a passion or talent and simple perseverance, people are able to sculpt their own future and find fortune and fame. The child obsessed with baseball can become a pitcher for the Red
When European settlers first arrived in Africa, they brought with them trusty muzzleloaders that, though they may have served them well in the old country, proved far too anemic to dispatch the thick-skinned, heavy-boned dangerous game native to their new home. After a few close calls with cantankerous critters the size of pickup trucks, they
Long ago, before the railroads united this country; before the great wagon trains brought settlers and commerce to the new lands; and before the Indian Wars, outlaws, or cowboys; there existed a group of men who went forth alone to challenge the wilderness of the untamed West. They brought with them little more than their
There’s a lot to be said about heroes. Not so much the fictional, comic-book kind, but the real-life men and women whose actions and lives influence us and shape us into who we will become. I remember perfectly one cold November day back in Vermont. I was eight years old and a friend’s father took
